Dog
by vivienn
Summary: Lust makes you do crazy things. slight SSOC. set during MWPP. please rr. ending is kind of abrupt...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- heres the disclaimer.**

Micah walked desolately around the banks of the lake. Her feet slid across the mud and stones, landing her scuffed yellow converse in the water. She blinked back tears, wrapping her arms around herself.

_It isn't fair._

No, but then, it was never fair. When you play with fire, you always burn something. And you don't always burn yourself. Sometimes, you fuck it up for someone else. Unconsciously, she rubbed the snake curled around her wrist. She had no loyalties to Voldemort, and none to Dumbledore. The jaws of the snake opened to swallow its own tail. She proclaimed her neutrality in the safest way possible, these days.

_Why couldn't he have just stayed away?_

Micah thought desperately of Scott, wishing, praying even, that last night had been a bad dream, and she would wake up in the morning and get a letter from him. She squeezed her eyes shut, kneeling in the mud and filth. Tears streamed down her ivory cheeks. She bit her lip until she tasted blood.

"Scott." She sobbed. "Scott, you idiot." She put her head in her hands, trying to hide from the pale moonlight that washed the color from her surroundings. She was taking a risk, being out this late. Her house would be disappointed. Ravenclaw students never did things like this. Still, she just needed to be outside. To breath fresh air, instead of the stale atmosphere of the dorms. "Scottie, I need you." She leaned over the lake, tears dripping like blood onto the placid surface. Ripples erupted, spreading in great, lazy circles. It only served to make her feel worse, and she let out a great, wracking sob. She wished, only for a moment, that she could disappear into the black water. Then, maybe they could be together again. If only for a moment. This was what she deserved, though. She fooled around with stronger, smarter people, and when they found out about Scott, he had disappeared. She deserved it, yes. But Scott hadn't.

A low growl sounded through the clearing, and Micah stumbled to her feet, clutching her stomach as though in pain. Dirt streaked her pant legs, and somehow, her arms. She didn't particularly care what she looked like, now. She was too busy concentrating on the large black dog in front of her. Its ears were flattened against its skull, its hackles raised, baring its teeth menacingly. It growled again.

"Dog." Micah whispered, backing away. Her lip was still bleeding slightly, and she had a terrible throbbing in the pit of her stomach, as though she hadn't eaten in months. She ignored the aches of her physical form, and back away from the animal. "_Dog_." She repeated, more frantic this time. The dog's ears pricked up, and it sniffed the air curiously, its strange grey eyes observing her silently. "Oh, please go away dog." She moaned. "I've had a terrible time. Scott is dead." The dog emitted a low grumbling sound, as though it felt sorry for her. She grimaced, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. She was terrified of the great black dog, even more so now that Scott could no longer protect her. "Please, dog." Micah begged. The dog stepped forward, snuffling the ground near her feet. With a yelp of panic, Micah stumbled back, straight into the lake.

Her shoes sank into the mud, and she toppled backward, into a much deeper part of the lake. She sank to the bed, tangling herself in the ropy coils of weeds. Surprised, she opened her mouth and sucked in great mouthfuls of water. This was it. She thought in a daze. She would die. Her mind fogged, the light rapidly fading. She closed her eyes and drifted in the murky, greenish water. Then it changed. She felt a hand close around the robes, pulling her towards the surface. She flopped helplessly onto the banks, gasping for breath and coughing up water. Her black hair was flattened against her skull, tangling in her eyes. She crouched on her hands and knees, spitting the muddy water to the ground. She looked up, searching for her rescuer, and all she saw was the dog. His coat was wet, the thick black fur clumping together. She felt so stupid, as she sat there, coughing up water. For a moment, just a second, really, she almost thought he was back. _He_ had saved her. Slowly, she staggered to her feet. The dog growled low in its throat, and she quivered nervously, quietly moving back.

"Thanks, dog." She murmured, scratching the sandy grit from her thin, pale arms. She shivered in the cool air. "But I have to say. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't end up back here." She paused, reflecting slowly. The Forbidden Forest loomed behind her, and she closed her eyes, tears leaking from the corners. The dog let out a high squeak, tilting its bushy head to one side. "I never really believed them when they said life wasn't worth living. But now- now that Scott's gone, I guess they were right." She hiccupped, heading dejectedly back up towards the ominous castle. The dog barked sharply, trotting next to her. She hastily moved away. "Stay away from me, dog." She warned, her shoes squelching unpleasantly in the grass. His ears pricked up, and his eyes concentrated solely on her as she trudged dejectedly up the hill.

"Sirius?" The hurried whisper jerked the dog away from his stony posture. He lifted his nose in the air, sniffing the air briefly before trotting in the direction of the voice. "Sirius!" The voice hissed, more insistent. The dog's body elongated, the hind legs lengthening, the forelegs straightening. The muzzle shrank back, as did the fur. The ears contracted, until they poked from beneath a curtain of black hair. Sirius Black shook himself, in a rather dog-like fashion, and continued his stride toward the Forbidden Forest. James leaned against a tree; his short, wiry frame slouched as usual. He looked up as Sirius approached, his hazel eyes narrowed. "You were supposed to be watching." He said, accusingly. "Filch could've come by."

"But he didn't." Sirius replied crossly, the sudden wind making him shiver. He rubbed his arms, desperately trying to warm them. It had been a perfectly fine night, if he hadn't jumped into the lake. "Let's just go back in." He turned and surveyed the grassy lawns, praying the neurotic Ravenclaw hadn't seen him change. It would be a nasty surprise for his mother if she received a letter informing her of her son's illicit knowledge. Sirius smirked inwardly. Maybe it would be nice to get caught, solely to hear Vivian Black's reaction.

"Why are you all wet?" James demanded. Sirius swiveled back towards his friend. He blinked slowly, and looked down at himself. Indeed, his hair hung in limp, wet strands, and his clothes were still soaked. "What happen, you fall in the lake?" Sirius nodded automatically. He jerked his head in the direction of the castle, indicating his impatience to leave. "What's gotten into you?" James snapped, as Sirius appraised the hilly terrain once more. "Why are you so jumpy?"

"It's nothing." Sirius lied as they crept through the hallways, towards Gryffindor tower. "I, uh- I just thought I saw someone." James looked around quickly, his glasses flashing in the dull moonlight streaming in through one of the towering windows. He gave Sirius a reassuring smile.

"No one." He pointed out, rather proudly, as if he had accomplished something important. They approached the portrait hiding the entrance to the common room, and James quickly gave the large woman in the frilly pink dress the password. She grumbled upon being awakened at such an ungodly hour, but swung open at length. The common room was silent. The fire had burned out, and the coals in the brazier were black. Sirius didn't stop to see if Remus or Peter had waited up for them. He headed straight for the dormitories, and pretended to be asleep when James came looking for him. He stretched across the bed, his legs only slightly too long for it. He rolled over in the bed, reminiscing about the past seven years at Hogwarts. It would be strange, next autumn. Not having to return. He rolled over again, squeezing his eyes shut. All he could see was the black depths of the lake, and a Ravenclaw girl twisted in water plants and sinking to the bottom. He groaned softly, pushing the image from his mind. Her voice melted through his conscious, cracking and sorrowful.

_Scott is dead._

Who was Scott?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- here's the disclaimer.**

He didn't remember going to sleep last night, but when he opened his eyes, Severus was watching Lucius get dressed. He shivered in the dank chill of the dungeon dormitories, sliding his feet off one side of the bed. The silken sheets rustled softly, but Lucius paid him no mind. They didn't speak to one another. Severus struggled to run a brush through his long, dark hair, while simultaneously tightening his tie. Lucius turned to him, his silvery eyes glittering, oddly unrealistic. They seemed to glow in the stale, chill air of the darkened room.

"We'll teach that blood traitor not to mess with things she doesn't understand." He breathed softly, his voice as venomous as the snake that haunted Severus' nightmares. The same as the one branded on his left shoulder. He turned away, gripping the tie in a white knuckled hold. "We'll show her what happens to scum like her, and her muggle pet." Severus swallowed hard. He turned back to Lucius.

"Yeah." He agreed, disguising the tremor in his voice as a yawn. Lucius smiled, satisfied with the concession. He flipped his white gold hair over one shoulder, absently reaching for a ribbon to tie it back. Severus took the opportunity to leave, dashing from the cold room and out of the common room portrait, a flamboyantly life-size cameo of Salazar Slytherin. Everyone in the school had guessed where the common room hiding the Slytherin room was. He hitched his bag up higher on his slight shoulders, keeping his eyes downcast. Memories of the blood and screaming from the previous nights haunted him. He closed his eyes, not concentrating on where he was going. He looked up as he came to a door. The library. He spared a quick glance around him before stepping inside. And there she was. Like a bad dream. A ghost. He stopped dead in his tracks, and she slowly looked up as his eyes bored into her. Her black hair hung in a sheet down her back, and her eyes were red rimmed from crying. Her lower lip had been nervously chewed on; he could see open wounds. She stared hard at him, and he could see what she was thinking. It was as if she had shouted in his ear.

_Come to finish the job?_

He started to back away, trembling. Her yellow eyes never left his face. They watched, unblinking, as he turned and ran. He didn't stop running until he ran into, quite literally, Lucius. The taller boy steadied him, a smirk in its usual place.

"What's the matter, Snape? Looks like you've seen a ghost." He sneered at his trembling associate. One could hardly call them friends. Lucius despised the lower class filth, whom he wouldn't even be talking to had he known Severus was not even a pureblood. Severus was consistently annoyed by the egotistical, condescending Malfoy heir. He didn't like his fiancé either, the haughty, beautiful blond Narcissa Black. The pair couldn't even stand to be in the same room. Lucius was constantly criticizing her, and she was usually responding with a harsh, disguised insult. Whenever they began speaking in the common room, most of the other Slytherins, save for the ignorant first years, cleared out. "Where did Micky go? You've seen her?"

"No." Severus responded, tossing his hair back with a overconfident gesture. Lucius watched him with narrowed eyes, his thin nostrils flaring. "I- I'm going to eat." Severus changed the subject abruptly, trying to avoid thinking about the darkness of the Forbidden Forest, or the murderous gleam in _her_ eyes. Lucius followed his hurried pace with a more leisurely swiftness.

"You never eat." Lucius reminded him. As if in agreement, Severus' stomach gave a nasty lurch at the voracious breakfast spread before the four house tables. He sat down hesitantly. "What's the matter with you?" Lucius commanded impatiently. "You've been acting so incredibly strange ever since- ever since-" Lucius frowned. Suddenly, a sly smile crept into his dead eyes, and he smirked at Severus. "Ever since we-" He stopped again, his gaze locked on the entrance to the Great Hall. Severus followed his sight, concentrating on the figure entering the Hall.

_Oh no._


	3. Chapter 3

Micah felt as though all eyes turned to her when she walked in. She blinked slowly, walking straight for her table and ignoring the whispers of her chaotic appearance. She sat down at the end of the table, playing with a piece of toast before her only friend, Chase Fredrick, came to sit beside her. Chase's long, blond hair was knotted at the base of her skull, and she propped her jutting chin.

"What's wrong with you, Micky?" She demanded. "You're really weird lately. Acting all mysterious." Chase giggled, fluttering her long eyelashes. "I know you've been sneaking out." Micah looked up sharply, fixing Chase with a steely glare. "Got a boyfriend, have you?" Chase teased.

_I thought I did,_the cruel voice whispered in the back of her mind.

Micah felt her throat close up. Chase watched her, confused. Micah was silent, until she felt someone's eyes on her. She turned, scanning the room before looking back at Chase. That was when she saw Lucius. He was leaning back in his chair, tilting it on the two back legs. He smiled at her, giving her a cheeky little wave. She felt the blood drain from her face. Next to him, his mysterious little friend watched her with his big, mournful black eyes.

_You should've left._

"Mick? Micky, what's wrong?" Chase was saying. "Who are you looking at? Chase twisted around, struggling to see who had the Micah spooked. Micah tried to grab her bag from its place by her feet, but she accidentally knocked it over. She could see Lucius' face split into a wide grin, and she scrambled to pick up all her possessions. From her place under the table, she saw two pairs of feet stop in front of her.

"The floor is no place for a lady, Micky." Lucius held in arm in a vice-like grip. Micah tried to pull away, but Lucius held on tighter. "Why don't you let us school pals chat for a minute?" He said smoothly to Chase. She scurried away at the sight of his brandished wand. Micah stared at it.

"I see you've been having fun, Lucius." Micah stammered. "Got a spot of blood on your shirt. Very elegant shirt, I suppose, before you went and killed someone." Lucius frowned, not sparing the red dot a second glance.

"That's from the other night." He hissed. Micah felt her insides tighten and freeze over. Lucius pulled her closer, until he was breathing right in her face. "You little blood traitor. You give all us pure bloods a bad name." He wrenched her arm up and pulled her sleeve back, exposing the snake tattoo. "You're a coward." Severus, behind them, had his head bowed. His curtain of hair masked his visage. "And we know what the dark lord does to cowards." Lucius mocked. He put his wand against Micah's throat. "I can make it look like a accident, Micky." He said, so softly only she and Severus could hear. "You better watch your back. Don't you remember how your little muggle friend screamed? 'Help me Micah!'" He mimicked in a whiny, high-pitched voice. "'Oh, it hurts!'"

"Don't- don't you dare talk about him." Micah threatened. Her grip on the wand in her pocket tightened until it hurt. "You have no right. You killed a defenseless muggle, in the middle of a forest, with five of your equally crazy friends." Her yellow eyes darted to Severus, who flinched under her cold gaze, and then to the Slytherin table, before moving back to Lucius. "You're one to speak of cowardice." Lucius' pretty features were marred by the ugly snarl. She wrenched her arm away before he could respond, whipping her wand out of her pocket. "Sectum Sepra!" She shrieked. For a minute, no one said anything. The entire Hall was dead silent. Then, as if in slow motion, Lucius let out a horrible scream. Blood spurted from a gash on his chin, just above the jugular. He pressed his hands against the wound, dropping to his knees and screaming. Micah stood stock still. Her wand was still pointed at the spot where Lucius had stood a moment ago. Severus swooped to Lucius' side.

"Run." He murmured to her. She dropped her wand hand to her side as the Hall erupted in cries of terror. She grabbed her bag and did the only thing she could think of. She ran. She ran straight out the doors with a bang and flew down the pathway.

Sirius had been trying to ignore Micah. He had been doing a good job of it, in his own opinion. He only glanced at her once, when she first walked in. She was too weird for him to take much notice in. He didn't know who Scott was, or why he'd died, or why she'd been sobbing about him. He had wondered, briefly, if she could even swim. He pushed her image away, muddy and red eyed, on the banks of the lake. He concentrated on his conversation with Remus, and had been doing well with ignoring her. Until, that is, she screamed out some curse or jinx, or something. The entire room had frozen, heads swiveling in her direction. The Lucius Malfoy started gushing blood from his throat, screeching like a stuck pig. And then she had bolted. Severus knelt beside his fallen comrade, using his wand to heal the cut. By then, Lucius had stopped screeching. The Hall was in chaos. People were crying and shouting and Narcissa Black looked vaguely triumphant as Bellatrix latched onto her, rubbing her younger sister's back in what she apparently thought seemed comforting. Lucius was unconscious, but one of the teachers, Sirius didn't see which, used their wand to levitate him. His body floated awkwardly, his mane of blond hair, matted and shining with his own blood, hung down. Severus was nowhere to be seen. Sirius scanned the Hall again. He pulled out the Marauder's Map, poking it with his wand and turning so he could hide it. Severus Snape was running, quickly, toward the lake. Sirius squinted to concentrate on the tiny black dot he was headed for. His breath caught as he read the name.

Micah Corven.


	4. Chapter 4

Micah had her face in her hands, sobbing. She hadn't meant to say it. She was so stupid. She thought of Scott, and his horrible, bloody screaming, and it just came out. Lucius deserved it, she knew. But not then, and certainly not right there. She screamed furiously, pounding the tree beside her with small fists. There was no getting out of this. Lucius would shout murder, and she would be landed in Azkaban. Her knuckles bloodied, but she didn't stop. And when Severus grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, she started on him.

"Stop it!" He shouted, holding her at arms length. She swipe furiously at him, ripping her nails across his cheek. "I'm sorry! I tried to stop them. I did!" She didn't stop. "Listen to me!" He pleaded. She broke down, collapsing to the ground. He held her wrists, so she crouched awkwardly, her arms pulled up while she strained to lay on the ground. "Stop, please Micky."

"Murderer!" She wailed. He shook his head desperately, catching her around the waist as she lunged for the water. "You killed him. You killed him for no reason. What did he do to you?" The brilliant sunlight was oddly unrealistic as the scene unfolded, Micah screaming and sobbing, Severus trying to reign her in away from the lake she desperately struggled to reach. "Please, Severus!" She begged. "Please let me be with him. I need him. I love him." Frantically, Severus pulled her back, tripping over a rock and accidentally pushing her into the tree. He bent to help her up.

"Leave her alone." Severus froze. He stood, turning slowly. Sirius had his wand out, pointed at Severus with a look of cool authority and utter contempt. Severus stared fiercely at him. He stepped back to help Micah, who was crouched by the tree. "I said, leave her alone!" Sirius shouted reproachfully. "Christ, Snape, has all the grease blocked out your ears? Don't you listen?"

"Get out of it, Black." Severus snarled. He reached for Micah's hand, but suddenly found an invisible wall around her. "What's this?" He exclaimed hotly. "I said get out of it. Let me get to her!" Sirius snickered. Severus felt an invisible, and very strong, hand pushing on his chest until he was ankle deep in water. "Micah, come here." He ordered. Micah stood precariously, casting a fearful look at the bear-like Sirius. "Here." He beckoned again, stretching his hand as far as he could before hitting the wall. "Its okay, Micky. Please come here." She started to reach out, but Sirius pushed Severus back farther. Severus tried to jerk his feet from the mud.

"He's trying to hurt you Micah." Sirius warned, his concentration solely on Severus and keeping him away from the girl. She stopped, looking between the two. "Don't you remember last- when Lucius was with him?" Sirius caught himself before saying 'last night'. "I bet he isn't as nice as then." Severus was too busy concentrating on his feet to catch the near slip, but Micah furrowed her brow curiously at him. He was big, with shaggy black hair and a loping grace. With strange silver eyes. "He'll hurt you. I heard you talking to him. He killed someone, didn't he? What's to stop him from killing you?" Micah looked unsure. Severus furiously wrenched one foot from the mud, wobbling treacherously.

"Shut it, Black!" He shouted. "You don't know what you're talking about!" His nosy, stupid classmate paid him no attention. "Micky, please!" Severus appealed, gazing at her sadly. "I would never have hurt you, or Scott. Think. Please. Did you ever see me raise my wand once?" She paused again. "You just don't understand what it's like. I should've done something, anything, I could do for him if they wouldn't have killed both of us on the spot."

"You should've died." She croaked hoarsely. "Rather than him. I would have gladly gone in his place." Severus watched her with his miserably dark eyes. Those inconsolably black eyes. She could see, in the black depths, that it really wasn't his fault. That didn't make it any better. "Why didn't you just kill me?"

"It wasn't- I- Lucius-" He tried desperately, before rounding on Sirius. "Will you go away, Black?" He yelled irately. Sirius had an amused, saddened expression on his face. He held his hand out, and Micah took it. She walked away with him, not sparing him a second glance. He was able to move a few seconds later, and he trudged out of the mud. He watched Micah's retreating back disdainfully.

"It's not my fault that Scott is dead!" He shouted. He saw Micah pause. She turned slightly. "It isn't my fault, Micah. You just want someone to blame because you know, secretly, that if you hadn't been such a slut with Lucius and his playmates, they never would've figured out about him!" Micah's back was rigidly frozen, and it took a moment of urging from Sirius and a well aimed hex that sent Severus flying to the middle of the lake to get her moving again. By the time Severus had swam to shore, both of them were gone. He squeezed the excess water out of his robes before going back to the castle


	5. Chapter 5

She was back, again. And so was the dog. She ignored the heavy black animal as he snuffled around her feet, wagging his tail and gazing at her expectantly. He gripped a large stick in his mouth, dropping it beside her and wagging his tail once more. She angrily pushed the dog away, and it whined loudly.

"Get away dog." She said threateningly, drawing her wand and aiming at his head. The dog gazed at her reproachfully. She sighed, bored of the lifeless environment. "I can't take this, dog. Severus called me a slut. Do you hear that? He actually called me a slut!" The dog growled, and Micah almost felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips. Almost. Tears welled in her eyes. "He's right, you know." She whispered. The dog's ears flattened, as if he was saddened by her thoughts. "I- I did terrible things for Lucius and his awful little friends." She broke down, sobbing into her hands. The dog rested his muzzle on one of her knees, and she breathed in the woody scent of his fur. "Severus- he was the only one I ever wanted to talk to." The dog looked up at her curiously, his ears pointing to the sky. "I- I'm so stupid. Scott told me to stay away from him. 'He's trouble'. And now look. I've gotten my own brother killed. Scott was all I had left." Her shoulders shook with pained sobs. "I just- I just wanted him to notice me. I'm so, so stupid." There was a heavy silence, and the dog bleated piteously. Micah jumped to her feet. "I know what I have to do." She said, sullenly. "I guess it's really my only option." She started for the castle, but stopped. "You can come to, dog." Then she walked away. The dog followed, panting slightly.

Th castle was deserted at the hour, which surprised both of them. Micah had expected Filch to be prowling the corridors, or perhaps a teacher on a late night walk. But there was no one. Micah hurried up the winding staircases, the dog at her heels. She silently opened the door to the astronomy tower. The class room was silent, and dark. Micah stole a quill from the professor's desk, using a spare bit of parchment to jot down a letter. She folded it and tapped the note with her wand, sealing it.

"I need you to take this down to the dungeons, okay?" She asked the dog, fastening the letter to the chain around his neck. She paused, picking up the ornament on the chain. It was a peculiar, twisting little letter. She squinted at it. The chain itself was familiar, but the letter surely meant something. The dog tugged himself back before she could make it out. It trotted to the door, looking back at her expectantly. "You go. I have some things I need to take care of." Micah stood wearily. "I'm sorry Scott. I'm sorry Severus." She slowly made her way through the cluttered desks and telescopes to the window. The dog barked. "Go away dog." She called over her shoulder. She felt a tug on her sleeve. The dog was pulling her away. She pushed him back. He howled. "It's okay dog. Some of us have things to do." He growled, biting at her legs. She stood on the windowsill, closing her eyes to feel the night air on her face. She took a step forward.

"Micah, no!" Startled, she turned around. Sirius lunged for her, the chain around his neck clattering. The charm glinted in the moonlight, causing Micah to lose her focus. She fell back. She heard Sirius bellow spells out the window, but she was falling too fast for them to hit her. Then she hit the lightning rod, jutting from a turret.

_Who knew it would be this easy?_

_Scott held her tightly._

_Micah, you are so stupid._

_And that was it._

Back in the tower, Sirius stared at the prone form, lying spread eagle in the air like some grotesque rag doll. He breathed heavily, raggedly. The paper in his hand, crinkled, breaking him from his reverie. Christ, there was a lot of blood. He looked around. No one had her the screaming, the barking. No one had come running. He turned back to Micah. It was over for her.

"No." He mumbled, putting his head in his hands and sliding down, crouching and facing the wall. "No, no, no." He banged against the stones with his fists, screaming. "Micah! No, no, no, this can't have happened. Micah!"

That was how Minerva McGonagall found him, his knuckles scratched and bloodied. His face was ghost white. And when she looked out the window, she could see Micah Corven. She tried to bring him to see Dumbledore, but Sirius ran from the room, taking the stairs three at a time. He stumbled in the Entrance Hall, scraping his knee on the polished marble floors. The dungeons were black and cold. He pounded on the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, much to its displeasure.

"Open!" He screamed. The portrait swung open, and an annoyed and confused first year girl stood looking at him. "Severus Snape." Sirius growled. The girl gaped at him, trembling from cold and fear. "Get Severus Snape." She backed away, and ran across the common room down one of the dark hallways. A moment later, the tall, dark haired boy came to the entrance. He stopped.

"Black." He said angrily. "What do you want?" Wordlessly, Sirius held up the letter. Slowly, Severus made his way across the silent room. The only sound was Sirius' heavy breathing. Severus snatched the letter away and unrolled it carelessly.

_Severus. If you're reading this, then I must be dead. Life is a little crazy sometimes, huh? I know Ravenclaws are supposed to be smart, but there's always exceptions. After all, you weren't exactly the perfect Slytherin, were you? I'm sorry to say it has to end this way. I always loved the astronomy tower best. I just wanted to say to you, before I'm gone forever, that I didn't mean to hurt you when I was with Lucius_, or _any of the other silly little boys. I always loved you the best. Maybe now I get to see Scott again. Micah._

Severus' mouth felt very dry, and tears blurred the scratchy, hasty script. He looked up at Sirius, who refused to meet his eyes. Tears tracked down his cheeks from his ugly, steel grey eyes.

"Murderer." Sirius whispered bitterly, backing away. He hugged himself, as if it could protect him. Of course, there was nothing Severus could say to this. Because, after all, it was the truth. He stood there long after Sirius left, rooted to the spot, the portrait swung open. He stood there, the letter clutched tightly in his white knuckled grip. He didn't move until the Head Boy came to announce classes were cancelled, because of a tragic accident.

That was when he bolted, darting past the child and running outside to the lake. There was a stitch in his side, and he dropped to his knees at the bank, kneeling, uncaring, in the mud and stones. The letter dropped into the dirty black water, the ink bleeding together and erasing the words scribbled so hatefully. Tears dripped down off his chin, dropping into the water like blood, causing little circles to erupt, clashing against one another. This only served to make him feel worse.

Back up in Gryffindor Tower, Sirius watched Severus contemplate drowning himself, and he silently wished he was there with him. It was so easy to blame Severus, but Severus hadn't been up there. In the tower. Severus hadn't tried to stop her from jumping. Severus hadn't accidentally pushed her.


End file.
